Disclaimer: I received tickets to On Your Feet! as opportunity through the Tampa Bay Bloggers and the Straz Center for the purpose of this review. The opinions shared are my own.
Thanks to my partnership with the Straz Center, I have seen my share of biographical musicals including Beautiful: The Carol King Musical and Jersey Boys. Now, I can add On Your Feet to the growing list real life rockumentaries.
Adriel Flete and Company – Photo by Matthew Murphy
However, unlike the biographical musicals that danced their way through Tampa, On Your Feet entertains with energy and passion that only a Latin-inspired musical can. While Christie Prades (Gloria) and Mauirico Martinez (Emilio), are immensely talented and deliver superb performances, each character plays more than a supporting role; Gloria’s mother, Gloria Fajardo (Nancy Ticotin), Consuelo (Alma Cuervo) and Jose Fajardo (Jason Martinez) deliver spectacular performances critical to the story and to the audience’s delight. Even young Gloria (Amarissa and Carmen Sanchez) produce vocals that simply stun the crowd. The entire ensemble will captivate you!
Joseph Rivera, Adriel Flete, Jeremey Adam Rey, Nancy Ticotin as Gloria Fajardo and Hector Maisonet – Photo by Matthew Murphy
On Your Feet shares the musical journey of Gloria and Emilio Estefan. As a young child, Gloria wrote songs and entertained her family and neighbors with her angelic voice and guitar playing. During Gloria’s college years, she meets Emilio Estefan and together they create a never before heard sound through the Miami Sound Machine. Going against her mother’s wishes, she puts college on hold to tour around the world on her way to become a pop icon.
Mauricio Martinez as Emilio Estefan and Christie Prades as Gloria Estefan and Company – Photo by Matthew Murphy
Through their pop stardom adventure, the audience learns that Gloria comes from a long line of talented women. We also discover the struggles Gloria and Emilio faced trying to crossover to mainstream market. And of course, we relive the horrific events of Gloria’s near death experience.
Christie Prades as Gloria Estefan and Company – Photo by Matthew Murphy
Through their Billboard favorite hits and several new scores, the audience follows the path that made Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine a household name and the love, passion and dedication that carried Gloria and Emilio through it all, which we can all learn from.
In fact there are seven profound life lessons to take away from On Your Feet.
Seven Life Lessons from On Your Feet
Seven life lessons unfold in the Broadway Musical On Your Feet!
Follow your passion
Listen to what your heart tells you. You will find immense satisfaction from doing what speaks to your heart and fills your soul.
Live with passion.
Live with passion and zest in your life. Doing so puts the UMPH in triumph. When you put your body and soul into everything you do, others will feel that energy and be inspired and lifted up by your passion.
Set goals.
Have a vision and put steps in place to make your dreams a reality. Make your goals realistic, tangible and doable to be successful. Set a timeframe for yourself to keep yourself accountable.
Never give up.
More importantly, never take “No” for an answer. People will try to deflate your dreams. The negative naysayers will tell you your dreams are childish and impossible. Believe in yourself; all things are possible with tiny bit of talent and hard work.
Work hard.
Dreams become a reality when you dedicate time, blood, sweat and tears. In the immortal words of the Miami Sound Machine “Get on your feet. Get up and make it happen.”
Rest.
Work hard but take time to find solitude in down time. Drown out the noise and listen to your body. Refresh and renew in the quiet moments which fuel your soul. If you keep going and going, you will eventually dull the flame and the results may take immense emotional and mental strength to ignite that passion again.
Family first.
While you are dreaming big, living with passion and setting goals, remember to carve out time for your family. After all, they are your biggest fans. Your family will support you and celebrate you. Therefore, take time to celebrate them. When we’re young, we think we have all the time in the world. As we age, we realize time is fleeting and the days with our parents and loved ones are limited. Before all else, family first.
Alma Cuervo as Consuelo, Claudia Yanez as Rebecca, Christie Prades as Gloria and Nancy Ticotin as Gloria Fajardo – Photo by Matthew Murphy
Experience the passion and the lessons learned in On Your Feet now playing at the Straz Center until Sunday. See showtimes and purchase tickets at www.strazcenter.com.
